Real Problems. Real Tools. Real Experience.

real world
CHALLENGE
Systematically advancing science, technology,
engineering and mathematics workforce capac-
ity, teacher development and student achieve-
ment using experiential, real world learning.

2008 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
consortium
Parametric Technology Corporation
BBF&K Consulting
British School of Washington
Center for Science Teaching & Learning
Education Development Center
Federation of American Scientists
IdeaCrossing
International Technology Education Association
Magellan Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
National Academy of Engineering
Oak Ridge Associated Universities
Weinberg Harris
Department of Energy Real World Challenge

Objective

Using an experiential learning model coupled to an exciting national challenge process, our goal
is to mine the best and the brightest; increase the number of students entering science,
technology, engineering and mathematics fields and foster innovation across the United States.
To achieve this objective, we will transform real world, leading edge scientific and engineering
pursuits from Department of Energy Labs and Industry into Real World Challenges.

To solve these leading-edge pursuits, students assume "professional" roles on global design
teams and work with authentic simulation and modeling tools while being coached by scientific
and engineering mentors. During the Real World Challenge, students “become” Global
Engineers, Mathematicians and Scientists seeking to invent, design and build scientific and
technology-based products.

Background

• If global innovation, creativity, and collaboration in our federal labs and industries are
powered by advanced simulation, modeling and Internet collaboration tools then these
concepts and tools need to be the foundation upon which future experiential, real world,
educational programs are built.

• The Design Process and Scientific Method are intertwined as processes of inquiry. When the
design process is used as a cross-curricular tool of inquiry in education life in school and life
in the real world are put into context (See Figure 1). This is a process that teaches
innovation.

• Researchers discovered that 70.4% of students who had used 3D design software in
secondary school experienced significant benefits when they began studying industrial
design in university programs. In the US & UK, the Design Process has had a significant
impact on the interest and achievement levels of girls in product design.

• Americans are deeply concerned that the US is not preparing students with the 21st century
skills they need to compete in the new global economy, according to the poll.

• Eighty-eight percent of voters say they believe schools can, and should, incorporate 21st-
century skills such as critical thinking and problem solving, communication and self-direction,
and computer and technology skills into the curriculum.

• Voters’ opinions mirror those of employers, based on a separate poll conducted last year. In
that poll, sponsored by P21 along with the Conference Board, Corporate Voices for Working
Families, and the Society for Human Resource Management, business leaders reported that
while the three “Rs” are still fundamental to every employee’s ability to do the job, applied
skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, and communication also are essential for success.

Opportunity

• Today's students are natural innovators and creative collaborators. They need to be
grounded in the use of authentic simulation and modeling tools, which provide the digital
environment to express unlimited creativity and innovation.

• There is real potential for authentic simulation and modeling-based education. Billions
of federal and industry dollars are being invested in the areas of computational engineering

1
 and science. Federal labs and industry will need STEM workers who can think with these
tools.

• Federal and industry investment can be directly leveraged by education when these authentic
tools are placed in a developmentally appropriate framework: a framework that is formed
from national standards, STEM workforce competencies and 21st century skills, as well as
simulation and modeling application proficiencies.

Solution

Our real world education strategy uniquely bridges the divide between education and workforce
development using a national challenge process. This scalable model can cost-effectively reach
very large numbers of students and teachers. As students work through the challenge process,
we identify the best and brightest and motivate them pursue STEM majors and careers. Using our
capacity building system, which connects universities and high schools, we will have a long-term
impact on the STEM workforce of the future by institutionalizing the program in school curricula,
after-school settings and university campuses.

What Are The Major Components of Real World Challenges? The Real World Challenge consists
of three types of challenges: (a) Capacity Building Challenge, (2) State Challenge and (3)
National Challenge. Each challenge sets the stage for the increased complexity of the next
challenge.

• Real World Topics. Each topic is one that practicing scientists and engineers are actually
working on. Imagine students trying to solve a puzzle, which is equivalent to designing a new
product, in a distributed, team-based setting. This is the essence of each topic.

• Unique Capacity Building Challenge. As the foundation to the entire challenge process,
Capacity Building Challenges are role-based curricular experiences that students and
teachers use in the classroom prior to officially competing in State and National Challenges.
Each Capacity Building Challenge is comprised of all the necessary “puzzle pieces” that
make up the challenge: authentic 3D CAD software, backstory, scientific research
supplements, mentor and mentee guides, sample models, parts and assemblies and pre-built
test simulations.

• Team Building Social Network. Students, Mentors and Teachers publish their individual
skills and interests as profiles on the social network so that they can lead, build and
participate in a team.

• Mentorship Program. Practicing engineers and scientists work with student teams as unique
sources of expertise. They learn how to communicate their expertise in a developmentally
appropriate manner on the Global Design Backbone.

• Scalable Train-the-Trainer Professional Development. Using a system of universities to

host Real World Institutes, professional engineers are the trainers. They instruct teachers to
teach other teachers. During the institute, teachers learn the design process, how to work
with scientific and engineering mentors, how to lead in an advanced technology classroom
and how to form student global design teams.

• Global Engineering Backbone. Students, teachers and mentors work together on a digital
backbone, which extends the geographic reach of DOE's unique and scarce resources in its
laboratories.

• Growth Strategy. During the 2008 academic year nine states (CA, KS, KY, MN, NJ, NM, PA,
TN and TX) will participate with a potential contestant pool of 75,000 students, 3,420
teachers, and 6,840 mentors. We will design challenges in FY 2008-2012 using industry and

2
 energy-related themes and topics. In FY 2011, we will add challenges that support the
missions of additional federal agency partners and their related industries.

• Financial Strategy. Federal dollars will be supplemented by private contributions and

sponsorships to support the development and implementation of the program.

• Management Approach. Team of diverse experts in science, engineering, education and

public relations are developing this project. A matrix management approach will be used
since all project staff are from different organizations and no one has organizational line
authority.

3
 DOE REAL WORLD CHALLENGE
STEM-BASED DESIGN PROCESS

Teaching the design of scientific and technology-based products offers profound cultural implications. Ex-
panding the use of the Design Process in education should be seen as the long term key to increasing tech-
nology literacy across society, improving workforce capacity and creating a more efficient technology transfer
process.

&IGURE4HE$ESIGN0ROCESSASA-ULTI $ISCIPLINARY#ROSS #URRICULAR We are born curious. We naturally explore

4OOLOF)NQUIRYFOR3CIENCE4ECHNOLOGY%NGINEERINGAND-ATH and relate to the physical world. Today’s
%DUCATION students need to learn that things do not
“just happen.” Central to experiential edu-
cation is the design process (See figure
)NVESTIGATIONOF$ESIGN&ACTORS3OCIAL%NTREPRENEURIAL%RGONOMIC&UNCTIONAL!ESTHETIC-ATERIALS%CONOMIC

 3ITUATION
1). The fundamental importance of design
is rationality and logical analysis. The de-
$)6%2'%.4 sign process and scientific method are
4().+).' intertwined as processes of inquiry. When
the design process is used as a cross-
0ROBLEM$EFINITION curricular tool of inquiry in education, life
)DEA'ENERATION in school and life in the real world are put
)NDIVIDUAL)NNOVATION into context.
2EQUIREMENT!NALYSIS #OLLECTIVE#REATIVITY
#ONCEPT$ESIGN"RIEF This process of problem solving begins
with a detailed preliminary identification of
a problem and a diagnosis of the needs
#/.6%2'%.4 that have to be met by a solution. The
4().+).' evaluation of the solution goes through a
series of stages in which various solutions
 3PECIFICATIONS are conceived, explored and evaluated
until an optimum answer is found. The
solution must satisfy the necessary criteria
$)6%2'%.4 as fully as possible within the limits and
4().+).' opportunities available.

-ATHEMATICAL!NALYSIS Each challenge, which stresses experien-

3CIENTIFIC!NALYSIS tial learning gives students dramatic and
)NDIVIDUAL)NNOVATION
exciting evidence of how school work re-
%NGINEERING!NALYSIS #OLLECTIVE#REATIVITY
lates to life. The challenges are interdisci-
plinary; just as problems are in the real
world. Students learn how history relates
to technology, how math relates to lan-
#/.6%2'%.4
guage, how art relates to science, etc. As
4().+).'
in the real world, planning, designing and
making often involves group activity which
 $EVELOPMENT requires cooperation, negotiation and
compromise. But teamwork also brings the
satisfaction of completing something more
$)6%2'%.4 than could be achieved by an individual
4().+).' working alone. These challenges bring
together both sexes, all races, children of
!SSEMBLY-ODELING mixed ability, handicapped and strong,
2EFINEMENT/PTIMIZATION )NDIVIDUAL)NNOVATION young and old students, teachers, parents
#OLLECTIVE#REATIVITY and members of the local community,
4ESTING business, and local services.

#/.6%2'%.4
4().+).'

 3OLUTION
 REAL WORLD CHALLENGE GROWTH STRATEGY
Bridging Federal and Industry Education Priorites
FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12

787,900
543,763
STUDENTS
347,840
172,600
75,243

37,356
TEACHERS 16,401 25,302
3,420 8,056
TRAINED

MENTORS 6,840 16,112 32,802 50,604 74,711

FEDERAL Dept. of Energy Dept. of Energy Dept. of Energy Dept. of Energy Dept. of Energy
AGENCIES
Selected Mission Agencies All Mission Agencies

INDUSTRY & Aviation Industry Two Industries One - Three Industries One - Five Industries One - Five Industries
FEDERAL THEMES

CHALLENGE Three Topics Three Topics Three Topics Three Topics Three Topics
TOPICS

AUTHENTIC
Engineering Engineering Engineering Other Simulation/Modeling Tools Other Simulation/Modeling Tools
TOOLS

FEDERAL AGENCIES WITH SCIENCE MISSIONS FEDERAL LAB CONSORTIUM INDUSTRY SECTORS

Dept. of Agriculture
Dept. of Commerce
Dept. of Defense
Dept. of Defense - Air Force
Dept. of Defense - Army
Dept. of Defense - Marines
Dept. of Defense - Navy
Dept. of Energy
Dept. of Homeland Security
Environmental Protection Agency
National Institute of Health
NASA
Central Intelligence Agency National Institute of Health Advanced Manufacturing
Dept. of Agriculture Dept. of Homeland Security Aerospace & Defense
Dept. of Commerce Dept. of Interior Automotive & Transportation
Dept. of Defense Dept. of Justice Biotechnology & Medical Devices
Dept. of Defense - Air Force Dept. of Labor Chemical
Dept. of Defense - Army Dept. of Transportation Electronics & Computer Technologies
Dept. of Defense - Marines Dept. of Veterans Affairs Entertainment
Dept. of Defense - Navy Environmental Protection Agency Petroleum & Energy
Dept. of Education NASA Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences
Dept. of Energy National Science Foundation Telecommunications
 REAL WORLD CHALLENGE PROJECT PLAN | 2008 ACADEMIC YEAR

Qtr 1/2008 Qtr 2/2008 Qtr 3/2008 Qtr 4/2008 Qtr 1/2009
1) Manage Real World Design Challenge 2/1/08 3/23/09
1.1) Develop Real World Design Challenge 2/1/08 8/6/08
1.1.1) Develop Educational Materials 2/1/08 8/6/08
1.1.2) Build & Integrate Technology Infrastructure 2/1/08 5/22/08
1.1.3) Develop Marketing & PR Plan 2/1/08 6/3/08
1.1.4) Develop State & National Events 2/12/08 7/4/08
1.1.5) Develop Program Evaluation 3/12/08 7/4/08
1.1.6) Pilot 5/22/08 7/7/08
1.2) Implement Challenge Operations 5/23/08 3/23/09
1.2.1) Manage Infrastructure 5/23/08 3/18/09
1.2.2) Conduct Mentor Workshops 7/8/08 8/7/08
1.2.3) Conduct Teacher Workshops 7/28/08 8/22/08
1.2.4) Conduct Program Evaluation 7/9/08 3/23/09
1.2.5) Conduct Public Relations Campaign 6/3/08 3/20/09
1.2.5.1) PTC User Conference Announcement 6/9/08
1.2.5.2) Public Relations Process 7/1/08 3/20/09
1.2.6) Implement Event Activities 9/16/08 3/13/09
1.2.6.1) Capacity Building Challenge 9/17/08 12/4/08
1.2.6.2) Statewide Challeges 1/6/09 2/19/09
1.2.6.3) National Challenge 3/12/09 3/13/09
 Weinberg Harris (WH)
REAL WORLD CHALLENGE ORGANIZATION MODEL

L
Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC)
Department of Energy

Fiscal Agent
Project Manager
Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU)

Development Teams
Implementation Teams

Team Leader

Program Evaluation
Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) National Academy of Engineering (NAE)

Event Activities
Magellan Engineering (ME) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
International Technology Education Association (ITEA) Magellan Engineering (ME)
Education Development Center (EDC) International Technology Education Association (ITEA)

L
IdeaCrossing (IX)
Federation of American Scientists (FAS)
Education Development Center (EDC)
BBF&K Consulting (BBF&K)

L
Weinberg Harris (WH)

Infrastructure
Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC)
Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) IdeaCrossing (IX)
Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) Magellan Engineering (ME)
State & National Events

L
National Academy of Engineering (NAE)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Magellan Engineering (ME)

Public Relations Campaign

International Technology Education Association (ITEA)
IdeaCrossing (IX) Weinberg Harris (WH)
Federation of American Scientists (FAS) Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC)
Education Development Center (EDC) International Technology Education Association (ITEA)
BBF&K Consulting (BBF&K) IdeaCrossing (IX)
L

BBF&K Consulting (BBF&K)

L
Implementation Teams
Development Teams
Project Manager

Weinberg Harris (WH)

Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC)
PTC

Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU)

Marketing

Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC)

National Academy of Engineering (NAE)
Evaluation

IdeaCrossing (IX) Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU)

Education Development Center (EDC)
L

Federation of American Scientists (FAS)

BBF&K Consulting (BBF&K)
L

Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU)

Technology Infrastructure

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Magellan Engineering (ME)
Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC)
Teacher Institutes

IdeaCrossing (IX)
Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU)
Federation of American Scientists (FAS)
Education Development Center (EDC) Magellan Engineering (ME)
Dept. of Energy/WSTD

Program Officer

BBF&K Consulting (BBF&K) International Technology Education Association (ITEA)

Fiscal Agent

Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) Education Development Center (EDC)

L

L
ORAU

Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC)

Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU)
Educational Materials

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Mentor Workshops

Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC)

Magellan Engineering (ME)
Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU)
International Technology Education Association (ITEA)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
IdeaCrossing (IX)
Education Development Center (EDC)
Federation of American Scientists (FAS)
Magellan Engineering (ME)
L

Education Development Center (EDC)

L
 2008 SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY REAL WORLD CHALLENGE

INDUSTRY THEME: GREEN ENERGY

BACKGROUND. Nothing inspires innovation and collaboration like a great

challenge. The Real World Challenge offer teams of middle school and high
school students the oppor tunity to solve “real world” science, engineering and
technology problems faced by industry. We are developing the U.S. Depar tment
of Energy Real World Challenge Program for the U.S. DoE Office of Workforce
Development for Scientists and Teachers. Par tnering agencies are the U.S Depar t-
ment of Defense and U.S. Depar tment of Homeland Security.

The investment from the Depar tment of Energy in the Real World Challenge will
be focused on two areas: development and operations of the Real World Chal-
lenge program. Building upon the Depar tment of Energy investment, corporate
sponsors provide cash and in-kind contributions for affinity, travel, scholarships,
and other awards. To launch the corporate sponsorship program, Parametric
Technology Corporation (PTC) will contribute $500 million or more in computer
aided design software at each [STATE] Awards Ceremony.

U.S. DoE REAL WORLD CHALLENGE SPONSORSHIPS

Official U.S. DoE Real World Challenge Sponsor

[STATE] Awards Ceremony

Announcements by Governor, Commissioner of Education, Industry and Educa-
tion Partners

National Event at National Academies

Green Energy Design Laboratory

Professional administration and server hardware to support Internet-based
student team collaboration

Green Energy Challenge Kits

Theme-based digital materials, authentic product development tools and
professional transatlantic mentorship program in middle and high schools.

Student & Teacher Team Travel

Student teams present design projects at State Awards and winners travel to
national challenge.

Green Energy Science & Engineering Scholarships & Awards

Green Energy Mentorship Program

Bring professional expertise from U.S. DoE laboratories into schools using
Internet collaboration tools and a unique mentoring program tied to the design
process

2008 SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM real problems. real tools. real opportunities